The Devil Wears Prada at the Dominion Theatre

With a big theatre and even bigger names, this show seems set to deliver a 5-star performance but is it truly able to live up to this? Unfortunately, I left with a feeling reminiscent of Miranda Priestly, which was 'That's all'. This is an enjoyable show, however, I felt as though it was missing something for it to be a show that I would want to return to soon, and it can be asked, do we really need yet another adaptation? Despite that, I definitely felt that Act 2 improved this show compared to Act 1 and had Act 1 matched the experience of Act 2, I may be more inclined to possibly return.

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*

My Review:

I went into this show having watched the film once, but being fairly new to the source material past that. Unfortunately, the show had songs and choreography that felt repetitive, and despite the talent on display, it sadly wasn't enough to improve my rating. In order to follow the plot of the movie, the show jumps from location to location from scene to scene and this can create a discontinuous feeling that becomes extremely noticeable due to the nature of live theatre.

Initially, the choreography by Jerry Mitchell (Director & Choreographer) felt innovative and inspired, but as the show went on, it slowly started feeling repetitive and left me with a longing for some more variation. Similarly, the songs by Elton John (Music), Shaina Taub (Lyrics) and Mark Sonnenblick (Music) initially felt unique and perfectly fitted but slowly morphed into being reflective of earlier songs and less well-blended within the story causing the script by Kate Wetherhead (Book) to also feel disjointed which was reflected by the show seemingly jumping between locations and scenes. The costumes felt fitting to the story and were able to maintain a uniqueness whilst also allowing the ensemble to blend, which is due to Gregg Barnes' (Costume Design) creativity. One thing the show does well is theming with the theatre having a runway theme throughout, with costumes on display, and the programme as well being themed to be reminiscent of a runway magazine.

On a more positive note, the cast are phenomenal and truly do all in their power to save this show. Vanessa Williams (Miranda Priestly) leads the show with an iron fist, she embodies this role with poise and elegance that allows for a contrast when this facade falters and we see her real worries shine through as aspects of her life are threatened as the story progresses. Playing against Vanessa Williams is Georgia Buckland (Andy), she is perfection in this role with a wonderful characterisation and phenomenal voice which is showcased in both her solos and ensemble performances. Two stand-out solo performances from Georgia Buckland for me were Girl For The Job and Miranda Girl, however, any performance from Georgia Buckland was a joy to listen to, even if the songs themselves tended to be repetitive. Amy DiBartolomeo plays the high-reaching if slightly uptight first intern Emily. She was absolutely fabulous in this role with her phenomenal vocal talent being showcased by How To Survive At Runway and the hilarious performance that was Bon Voyage. Personally, Bon Voyage was my favourite song of the show and one of the redeeming moments that gave me some hope for the future of The Devil Wears Prada: A New Musical. The choreography felt considered and the lyrics contributed to the plot whilst also providing comedic relief for the audience hence causing a stand-out moment in the show for me that was not only reliant on the talent of the cast although the insane talent of Amy DiBartolomeo and the ensemble was a main reason why this moment translated well to the stage. Another moment where the choreography felt considered was during Paris Fashion Week when Andy is pulled across the stage using a red carpet showing her change and coming into her own as Miranda’s new first assistant. Matt Henry gave an outstanding performance as Nigel with his stunning vocals being highlighted by Dress Your Way Up and in the emotive song, Seen. Matt Henry feeds the emotion of Seen with a beautiful power which was refreshing for this production. Rhys Whitfield (Nate) performs a sensational duet with Georgia Buckland of I Only Love You For Your Body and alongside his vocals showcased by this song he had an enjoyable and engaging portrayal of Nate. Finally, James Darch portrays Christian with a love-to-hate him portrayal that is perfect for this character and their actions throughout the show.

I have hope for this show, that it has potential, however, as it stands currently, this is not a show that I would return to.

Content Warnings:

The show has content warnings clearly displayed around the foyer and throughout the theatre, which were as follows:

This performance contains:

Camera Flashes
Flashing Lights
Thunder Crack Sound Sound Effect
Loud Bass Music through Musical Numbers

Please speak to a member of staff if you require additional information.

Upon request, the theatre has an access document available which further details potential triggers and the time at which they happen, which was as follows:

Top of the Show (00:00) - Flashing Lights
'In Or Out Part 1' (37:00) - Thunder and Lightning
'Dress Your Way Up' (45:00) - Camera effect flashing for approximately 2 mins intermittently
'The Devil Wears Prada' (56:00)
- Ball Reveal includes Paparazzi and camera flashes on set - 30 seconds
- There is also a moment of spotlights in the aisle in the auditorium for the Ladies Ensemble reveal/entrances
Top of Act 2 (00:00)
- Camera effect flashing growing in intensity throughout the number
- No strobe but flashing lights, loud camera effects
'Stay on Top' (38:00) - Intro to Stay on Top has spotlights in the aisles in the stalls auditorium for the Ladies Ensemble reveal/entrances, with loud 'dough' sound effects as they arrive/lights up on them
'Gigamix Finale' (46:00) - Very Loud and Flashy finale sequence for 5 mins

The show did have moments that I made note of that I felt would be worth mentioning, these moments were as follows:

References to eating disorders and body shaming
References to homophobia
Manipulation

Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope this review has proved interesting and helpful for you :)

- AnxiousTheatregoer